Albert Borella
An Australian Hero
Albert Borella VC MM is one of only 100 Australians, and the only Northern Territorian, to have received the Victoria Cross, the highest military honour in the British Empire, for “most conspicuous bravery in attack".
Born in Victoria in 1881, Borella was lured to the Northern Territory with offers of pastoral land and prosperity in the Daly River district in 1913. After the outbreak of war, he travelled from Tennant Creek to Darwin to enlist. When he found out that he couldn’t join up in Darwin, he boarded a ship to Townsville in Queensland where he enlisted and was posted to the 26th Battalion of the First Australian Imperial Force. He fought at both Gallipoli and the Western Front, was wounded, commissioned on the battlefield and awarded the Victoria Cross in 1918 by King George V.
Upon returning to Australia, Borella moved to Victoria where he married and began a family. At the outbreak of World War II, he took up the Colours again and served in Australia, being promoted to Captain in 1942.
Albert Borella VC died on 7 February 1968 and was buried with full military honours at the Albury Presbyterian cemetery in New South Wales.
To find out more about Albert Borella’s life and achievements, click on the Timeline below.
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1881
Early Days
1881, Borung - Victoria, AUSTRALIA
Albert Borella was born at Borung, Victoria, on 7 August 1881. Albert Borella was the first son for Louis and Annie née Chalmers. He was the middle child between older sister Elizabeth and younger sister Annie Aurora.
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1900
The Victorian Rangers
1900, Victoria, AUSTRALIA
Prior to enlisting in the First World War, Albert Borella had some military experience. He served with the Victorian Rangers for eighteen months.
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1902
Farming in New South Wales
1902, Thyra, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA
In 1902 Albert Borella’s father Louis, moved to Thyra, west of Mathoura in New South Wales to take up farming there and Albert went with him.
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1910
Metropolitan Fire Brigades
1910, St Kilda - Victoria, AUSTRALIA
On 25 April 1910 Borella accepted a position with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade at a salary of £3 10s a week.
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1913
Prosperity up North!
1913, Darwin - Northern Territory, AUSTRALIA
Albert Borella was naturally adventurous, and always looking for something new. He read a pamphlet advertising land grants in the Northern Territory which he talked over with his mates in the Brigade.
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Land Release
1913, Daly River - Northern Territory, AUSTRALIA
Encouraged by the opportunities available in the Northern Territory, Albert Borella together with Parker and Lewis took the boat to Darwin arriving on the SS St Albans 24 February 1913. When they arrived they discovered they were ahead of the program.
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Farming on the Daly
1913, Daly River, Northern Territory AUSTRALIA
In April, Borella, Lewis & Parker successfully gained a hold over Section 2 or 3, Hundred of Berinka, County of Malmesbury.
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1915
Borella travels to Darwin to enlist
1915, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory
In January 1915, Albert Borella made the decision to volunteer in the Great War and began a long journey from Tennant Creek to Darwin.
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Borella sails from Darwin to Townsville
1915, Darwin, Northern Territory
On 8 March 1915, Albert Borella set sail from Darwin to Townsville on the SS Aldenham to enlist in the First World War.
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Borella enlists in World War I
1915, Townsville, Queensland AUSTRALIA
Borella was formally enlisted into the Australian Army on 15 March 1915. According to his family, he “wanted to join the Light Horse as everyone did” but was taken into the infantry, the most dangerous occupation of all military life.
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Borella posted to the 26th Battalion
1915, Brisbane, Queensland AUSTRALIA
No. 275 Private Albert “Bert" Borella of the 26th Infantry Battalion embarked on the HMAT Ascanius A11 from Brisbane on the 24th May 1915. Borella served for the entire war with the 26th Battalion of the First Australian Imperial Force.
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1917
Borella awarded the Military Medal
1917
The Military Medal is awarded for ‘acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire’.
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Borella commissioned on the field
1917
Albert Borella Commissioned on the Field as a 2nd Lieutenant.
The lowest of the officer ranks, and in peacetime a training position. For Borella and others like him commissioned in the battlefield they usually held command rank immediately rather than being seconded under a First Lieutenant or Captain.
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Borella Mentioned in a Despatch
1917
The Mention in Despatches (MID) is the oldest British award and was a device used by commanders at sea or in the field to bring the services of deserving officers to the attention of higher authority.
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Borella promoted to Sergeant
1917
A position of considerable importance, sergeants were the most experienced or the most capable men of the soldier ranks. New officers always relied – if they were wise – on their sergeant’s advice, although the responsibility for ensuing orders was always the officer’s.
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Borella promoted to Lieutenant
1917
Borella was now promoted to the full Lieutenant rank. This would have given him nominally command of a platoon, but with wartime pressure it would have been a large platoon, and maybe even sometimes a company of up to 200 men.
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1918
Battle of Villers-Bretonneux France
1918, Villers-Bretonneux, FRANCE
On the night of July 17-18, 1918 at Villers Bretonneux France, Albert Borella earned the Victoria Cross for most conspicuous bravery in attack.
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Borella presented the Victoria Cross
1918, Sandringham House, Norfolk ENGLAND
Albert Borella was awarded the Victoria Cross, by King George V at Sandringham Palace, on 16 September 1918; his age, 36, making him the oldest recipient within the first AIF . Borella’s VC was the only one awarded to a soldier from the Northern Territory during World War I.
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1919
Borella returned to Australia
1919, Melbourne, Victoria AUSTRALIA
Albert Borella returned to Australia on board the ship “HMAT Marathon", Melbourne Victoria.
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Borella discharged from service in WWI
1919
The service of Albert Borella VC MM in the Australian Army officially ends.
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1939
Borella enlists in World War II
1939
Albert Borella enlists in World War II, and served in Australia from October 1939 to May 1945.
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1942
Borella promoted to rank of Captain
1942
Albert Borella promoted to rank of Captain. He served with the 51st Garrison Company at Myrtleford until discharged in 1945.
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1945
Borella discharged from service as World War II nears its end
1945
With the war in Europe over, Borella’s service in charge of internees and Prisoners of War was nearing its end. He was 64 – considerably older than most soldiers.
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1968
Albert Borella VC MM dies at age 86
1968
Survived by his wife and two of his four sons, Albert Chalmers Borella VC, MM died at the age of 86. Borella was buried with full military honours at the Albury Presbyterian cemetery.
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